Fort Worth weekly gazette. [volume] (Fort Worth, Tex.) 1882-1891, 1887-01-21


duty of government TO provide means to
protect and secure every citizen in the
undisturbed enjoyment OF these rights
| In every government allowing expires.
| sion of option by vote there have always
| been differences and sentiment, giving
rise to political parties having the dis
| position of the honors of office and at
tendant revenues. And in our country
| the results rest upon the decision Of the
majority, legally asCertained and an
| nounced as the will of the people, eX-
pressed under legal forms aud where all
the citizens are of equal value. There
should be, therefore, 10 loss of faith in
the ballot as the infallable oracle of the
public will, and the sovereign arbiter of
political disputes, which would, in the
end, result in the withdrawal of the re-
spect due, and cheerfully accorded, by
the people TO their chosen rulers, ruin
Gus to domestic content and the
permaneICe OF our institutions. For, at
ter all, their permanency is measured
only by the heiShth and depth of tie love
ana loyalty the true citizen bears the
government.
So Jealous have been our lawmakers of
tue saucity Of this right of the people to
have their will expressed at the polls
without bias, and ungWed by anybody,
and afterwards have that verdict IegIti-
mately ascertained by al honest count,
that there has been manifest reluctance
on their part to amend our present cleo
ton laws by the adoption OF such innOva-
tons as would place them more in con-
s9nanct with the advanced progress and
thought attaining in other states. 1t is 8
well-recognized fact, however, that our
la VS. slow delay has proved prolific
source of annoyance 80 the people; aud
there seems to be p pular demand that
the eagerly anticipated answer, in the
final decision OF our political contests,
shall more speedily emerge from doubt
into asCertaiued certainty, and there ap-
pears no good reason why we should hes
itate longer 10 conform our laws in this
respect 10 those Of OTHER states, which
have stood the test OF experience and are
eminently Just and satisfactory.
While the enactment of penal laws is
necessary and Indispensable 10 queli dis
orders, detect, convict aud punish those
who Outrage civilization and the peace Of
society, "a wise governm Ut will do 81 those
Just things to remove what any portion
IF its citizens properly deem to be grIev-
auces, for such action is quite as import
ant IS repres>ive measures. II You want
4 people 10 be orderly, give them gov
eminent under which The humblest Citi-
zen is not beneath the protection Of the
laws, or the highest above the reach Of
their authority.
Where there is found just cause of
complaint, we should, without delay, in
quire into the nature and extent OF the
evil, and thoughuully and wisely consider
and apply the best and most practicable
mea2s of removing or lessening il.
The bill of rights declares il uuequivo-
cal language that "perpetuitles and
monopolies are contrary to the genius of
free government, and shall never be al
lowed" And vet, our state has created,
and is each year strengthening, a system
of corporate power, relieved of all per-
soual responsibility, and clothed
with exclusive rights, powers and
privileges in perpetuity; and it is
apparent that influences vast and pOten-
tial are at work to reduce the whole car
rying trade of the country into single
monopoly and management, no matter
how oppressive, and 10 matter how wide
spread the ruin and disaster it may brig
to other Industrial interests OF equal, if
not of paramount Importance to the peo-
pie at large.
If this right be acknowledged and per-
petusted, the great body OF the citizens
will have fastened upon them q bondage,
compared with which the bondage q
Israel in Egypt was tender mercy.
These corporations were created by the
people, in their legislative capacity, to
meet an overwhelming need in bringing
olt the dormant wealth of tie state and
to supply its Instant and pressing necessi-
ties; and 1t is not to be wondered at that
they were extended extraordinary enCOur-
agement and facilities, nor is it strange
that these privileges should have been &C
companied with enormous land grants
under state provisions. And while we
proclaim our unqualified appreciation Of
every policy, recognizing their Importance
as thorOughtares of travel, as carriers aud
distributors Of products, and as an inval
liable and indispensable means Of develop
ing aud serving the country, it can hardly
be questioned that these ar itiCial bodies
were created by the people IS creatures
of their pOwer-the instruments Of their
convenicnce-and designed Tor their
service and net their subsection. Aud it
was clearly the wilt of the trainers of our
organic law to throw them open to the
Laws of competition in every particular,
making them evoke their own checks ard
regulators, as the true theory for their
management. But these constitutional
inhihitiOns and statutory requirements
are nullifed by the simple Will Of corpora
lions of our own creation, and possessing
no powers except such as are conferred
upon them by law.
1t is the theory Of our government that
the constitution shall be Obeyed-that
the laws made in pursuance thereof shall
be eXeCuted-and until they are repealed
no party has the right to nullity them, or
deny their enforcement. If these laws,
iran Inherent defect, or absence of
power in the state, cannot be exc
cUtSd they should be eliminated from
our statute books If they are wise and
Just they should result in securing the
timely and efficient exertion of such con-
troll as the state may have the right to
claim over these corporations, and no
power on earth should be suffered to
clog or impede its assertion. If they are
to be operated in such manner that the
products raised out OF the soil aud the
commodities created By the industry Of
the people ere taken from the producer,
and inure alone 10 those who receive
their earnings, they become of small
practical value to the,people at large.
We should be unwilling to permit
them, by an arrogation of authority su-
perior to that exercised by the state, to
abolish the wholesome laws of supply
and demand, and advance or depress al
will the price of every commodity raised
by the people. 1t is the consumer, in
every instance, who must psy for every
factor that enters into the cost of COM
modity, and it would, therefore, be ruin
Gus ia its results to the interests of the |
whole people.
We are endeavoring to induce capital
lists to supply us with additional mills |